Bailey's final Burberry curtain reinvents the brand's famous check

Christopher Bailey's final collection for Burberry unveils at London Fashion Week this Saturday to support LGBTQ+ community. Fashion Editor Stephanie Smith reports.

Christopher Bailey, Burberry’s chief creative officer, will celebrate and demonstrate support for the LGBTQ+ community this Saturday at London Fashion Week, when he unveils his final collection, featuring a rainbow rework of the brand’s famous check.

“There has never been a more important time to say that in our diversity lies our strength, and our creativity,” says Bailey, from Halifax, who is dedicating the collection to organisations supporting LGBTQ+ youth around the world.

Burberry has announced that it will be cementing its commitment to LGBTQ+ communities through a series of initiatives. The LGBTQ+ Rainbow check has been created as an emblem for optimism and inclusiveness, and will feature prominently across the February 2018 collection. The Rainbow check pieces in the collection will be available to buy immediately after the show..

Burberry has made donations to three charities - the Albert Kennedy Trust, the Trevor Project and ILGA – all dedicated to broadening the awareness, mentoring and resources available around the world.

The February 2018 show, which will unveil Christopher Bailey’s last collection for Burberry, will take place in London at 5pm GMT on Saturday 17 February and will be streamed live on Burberry.com.

The new collection will celebrate diversity as Burberry announces donations to LGBTQ+ supporting charities.

The Albert Kennedy Trust is the national LGBT+ youth homelessness charity providing safe homes, mentoring, training and support to give young people the start in life they deserve - 24 per cent of young people facing homelessness identify as LGBT+ with 77 per cent of those citing familial rejection and abuse as the primary cause.

The Trevor Project provides crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to LGBTQ young people under the age of 25.

ILGA is the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association, a worldwide federation of organisations committed to equal human rights for LGBTI people.